AOC Election: John Coates re-elected as president

A relieved John Coates has thanked supporters after retaining the Australian Olympic Committee presidency by defeating challenger Danni Roche in this morning's election.

Coates won the vote 58-35 at the AOC annual general meeting in Sydney to keep the presidency he has held since 1990.

Australian sport's most powerful individual was congratulated by Roche immediately after the result of the vote was announced and then briefly addressed the meeting.

"Thank you very much for the confidence that you have shown in me," Coates said.

The 66-year-old will retain his International Olympic Committee vice-presidency as a result of winning the vote which followed a bitter election campaign including claims of widespread bullying within the AOC.

Coates now faces the task of uniting a split Olympic movement as he extends his presidency to three decades - he has previously signalled he will step down after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.